Rochdale Set - Waterloo Road TV | No.1 site for the BBC Drama Waterloo Road TV | No.1 site for the BBC Drama Contact Us Waterloo Road was originally filmed in Rochdale, Greater Manchester for the first seven series. We visited the set a couple of times during filming and got behind the scenes photos of the set, filming in action and met some of the cast. View everything from the Rochdale Set here. Filming in Action Outside the Set (We met some cast as well!) Untitled Document Copyright (c) 2011 WaterlooRoadTV.com. All rights reserved. Web Design Copyright (c) WaterlooRoadTV 2008. Waterloo Road and associated logos are trademarks of Shed Media and the BBC. All rights reserved. Copyright trademarks and other rights in the material from Shed Media and other services of Shed Media on this website are owned by Shed Media. All rights reserved. This website is neither owned nor operated by Shed Media or the BBC and it is not part of the official Waterloo Road website or any other service or website owned or operated by Shed Media.

Shed Media or the BBC are not responsible for any content on this website and the views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the views and opinions of Shed Media or the BBC. ✕ BBC moves school TV drama Waterloo Road from Rochdale to Scotland - Manchester Evening News BBC moves school TV drama Waterloo Road from Rochdale to Scotland Award-winning TV drama Waterloo Road is to move from Rochdale to Scotland, the BBC announced today. Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Award-winning TV drama Waterloo Road is to move from Rochdale to Scotland, the BBC announced today. It is the end of an era for the show which is now filming its seventh series at the former Hill Top Primary School in Kirkholt. And it means an uncertain future for stars of the hit BBC1 series with some now facing their final term on screen. The drama will re-locate in April next year to a new base as part of the BBC’s move to increase network programming from Scotland. Viewers will see a ‘dramatic and explosive’ storyline played out on screen in early 2012 with the final Rochdale episodes to be filmed this October.

It will result in a number of current teachers and pupils setting up a new school in Scotland, which will also adopt the Waterloo Road name. It is not yet known how the writers will explain the move. But some familiar faces will leave the TV school which has been a launch pad for young actors and actresses, many of them from Manchester and the north west. The show is made by Glasgow-based Shed Productions. Chief executive Eileen Gallagher said: “Waterloo Road has had an incredibly happy six years in Rochdale working with one of the best TV crews in the country. But now we have outgrown our present site and we couldn’t resist the BBC offer to take the show to Scotland.” BBC Drama boss Ben Stephenson said: “I would like to pay tribute to Rochdale and the local community who have taken the hit series to their hearts over the past seven years and saw it triumph at this year’s National TV Awards to win Most Popular Drama.” Ten episodes in the final Rochdale series have already been filmed and will be seen on screen from next month. They include the arrival of new Scottish headmaster Michael Byrne, played by Glasgow-born Alec Newman. He replaces Amanda Burton, who was previous head Karen Fisher.

A further 10 episodes will be shot this autumn, before the move north, and shown after Christmas. The first Scotland-based series is due to be broadcast in September 2012. Cast members past and present have included George Sampson, Angela Griffin, Tina O’Brien, Neil Morrissey, Jason Merrells, Denise Welch, Robson Green and Mark Benton. BBC North boss Peter Salmon said a number of forthcoming dramas have been made and set in the region. Salford’s Christopher Eccleston will star in thriller The Fuse, filmed and set in Manchester and there is also a new series of Jimmy McGovern’s Accused. Mr Salmon said: “So while we bid the cast and crew of Waterloo Road adieu, a farewell tinged not only with sadness but with a real sense that it has made a difference, I look forward to watching new and bold northern dramas unfold.” Like us on Facebook BBC drama Waterloo Road set to move to Scotland from Manchester next year | Daily Mail Online The show has been documenting the trials and tribulations of a troubled school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester for six years. But BBC1 hit drama Waterloo Road is moving to Scotland at the end of the seventh series.

The relocation will be written in as a ‘dramatic and explosive storyline’ which will see some of the current teachers and pupils set up an independent school in Scotland. On the move: Hit BBC show Waterloo Road is set to move from Rochdale to Scotland at the end of the seventh series But while fans of the show might be concerned about the relocation BBC bosses have assured fans they can expect more of the same drama they know and love. Controller of BBC drama commissioning Ben Stephenson said Waterloo Road: ‘will remain the show our audience love’. He added: ‘Alongside River City, the arrival of Waterloo Road establishes Scotland as a home of mass drama production.’ It is not known which of the characters will be relocating to Scotland or who will be written out of the show. Who will be going? It is not know which characters will be written into the move north The exact location of the new school is unknown as yet but the drama is set to move in April next year to film an initial 50 one-hour episodes. The inspiration to move to across the border comes from Ann McManus, the creator of the show, who spent several years teaching in secondary schools ion Glasgow.

Eileen Gallagher, chief executive officer of Shed, the Glasgow-based production company which makes Waterloo Road, said: ‘It now seems fitting that Waterloo Road has come full circle to be made in Scotland. ‘But the essence of the show will remain the same - a drama about the highly topical issue of how families and schools help children reach adulthood ‘It now seems fitting that Waterloo Road has come full circle to be made in Scotland. ‘But the essence of the show will remain the same - a drama about the highly topical issue of how families and schools help children reach adulthood.’ Waterloo Road, which attracts more than five million viewers, triumphed at this year's National Television Awards to beat Sherlock and Doctor Who to most popular drama. Do you have a story about a celebrity? Call the Daily Mail showbusiness desk on 0207 938 6364 or 0207 938 6683. For U.S. stories, phone 310 642 2317. Waterloo Road (Series) - TV Tropes Waterloo Road You need to login to do this.

Get Known if you don't have an account Share Drama (2006-2015) set in a dodgy version of The Good Old British Comp . The new headmaster of Waterloo Road, a failing comprehensive in Rochdale, Greater Manchester , has to turn the school around when it faces closure. Or at least that's how things were in the first season. The show quickly developed a large revolving cast and uses the school setting to explore many different storylines and characters. The end of seasons seven saw the show move filming location and setting to Scotland where it remains based. The show was Cancelled after ten seasons. It should be noted that we only actually see a few of the teaching staff and everything seems to happen to them. And a disproportionate number teach English . This extends to the students as well. While the show makes use of single episode characters to explore some more involved storylines, primarily the core student cast will be involved in just about everything. It's not specified what size Waterloo Road is (it's filmed in an old primary school, considerably smaller than most high secondary schools in the UK) but there are probably many more we haven't seen.

Of course this can all be brushed off as part of the nature of setting a television show in a school . Of particular note is that revolving cast which easily stretches to well over seventy principal cast members over the course of eight seasons. The show can be reasonably divided based on headteacher, of which there have been four so far (with a fifth soon to step up). The tone especially changes with each headteacher. Initially, the headteacher was a world-weary cynic with a more idealistic deputy but the more cynical perspective tends to be sidelined, and occasionally vilified, as the show evolves. Things have been a little bit crazy here. So far- see the recap . This show contains examples of: Abusive Parents : Well, naturally . Of particular note are Gabriella Wark's parents (the owners of a multimillion pound fashion empire) who are emotionally distant and who resent Gabriella for being involved in her younger sister's accidental death some years previously. In her first episode after she pulls a series of dangerous stunts including stealing a car, Gabriella's father strikes her across the face in front of several teachers.

But the absolute king of this trope is Lindsay James's father who sexually abused her and was planning to move onto her younger sister Emily after Lindsay got too old for him. You can start to see why Lindsay murdered him. Accidental Public Confession : Headteacher Vaughn Fitzgerald's estranged wife Olga (working as a supply teacher) surreptitiously switches on his new tannoy system before he has a confidential discussion with new deputy head Lorna Hutchinson. Her unflattering remarks about her new colleagues along with the reveal that the school is facing closure and a merger with Havelock High are subsequently broadcast to the entire school. The Alcoholic : Christine Mulgrew. She frequently flips between recovering and relapsing. One-Shot Character Shelby Dixon is also one, despite being just seventeen. Alcoholic Parent : Christine to her son Connor. All Girls Want Bad Boys : Or rather just Maxine wanting Earl. Which results in the former's death. All Guys Want Cheerleaders : Possibly the reason why none of the girls complained when it was created.

Amicable Exes : Philip and Ros eventually become this after she makes a pass at French Teacher Jo Lipsett and then accuses her of initiating it, and his struggle to deal with it causes them to break up. Headteacher Michael Byrne and his newly hired ex (who herself has recently married) Sian Diamond in Series 7. There's still Unresolved Sexual Tension though. Vaughn and Allie look set to become this after splitting up at the end of Series 10 Part 1. An Aesop : Frequently used, in all formats of the trope. Apathetic Teacher : Mr Budgen. George Windsor takes on this role after Budgen dies. He even resigns when new headteacher Vaughn Fitzgerald introduces a number of community involvement schemes, Lampshading that there's no longer a place for a teacher like him at Waterloo Road. The Atoner : Gabriella attempts to be this in Series 10 but faces a lot of hostility from both staff and pupils. Axes at School : Several times, notably in the series 4 opener. Also the end of Series 7 when Kyle Stack smuggles a crossbow into the school.

Badass Teacher : In a school that routinely encounters serious social issues, has a lot of violent pupils, and where a disproportionate of number of teachers and pupils have died in the past decade; this is practically a requirement. Headmaster Jack Rimmer. Standing up to the woman he loves and putting himself between a thug with a knife and a student, all in one day? Who expected that from Chalky? Tom Clarkson, stood up to Earl Kelly amongst others. Nikki Boston is a former soldier and not to be taken lightly. When Grantly Budgen discovers he has incorrectly accused Harley Taylor of plagiarism, while still on kidney dialysis he does everything in his power to make amends. Tragically, the physical strain becomes too much for him and he dies . Carol Barry fakes a leg injury to try and get a compensation payout from the school. Vaughn Fitzgerald visits her at home, methodically picks irrefutable holes in her story , and then sacks her. All without even raising his voice. Rachel Mason breaks up a fight between Michaela White and Lindsey James and - though she professes never to give up on a student - threatens Michaela with losing her exams and future if she continues the girl gang warfare.

Batman Gambit : When Leo's incompetence leads to Kevin's computer hacking of multinational technology firm Wire-Data being traced back to the school, Kevin enacts one. Working from a laptop hidden behind the school stage, he hacks into Wire-Data again and releases a data-corrupting worm that acts slowly but is scheduled to rapidly speed up in an hour. He uses this as leverage to get the owner of Wire-Data to sign a contract promising not to press charges. All of this is done rapidly and calmly despite the very real threat of prosecution and imprisonment being on the horizon and the fact that he's still recovering from a stroke. The really amazing thing is that it works and gets him a job offer from WireData . Beauty Is Never Tarnished : Averted with Imogen when is she injured in a fire caused by Connor. She suffers very visible scarring to her neck that takes a while to heal. Beneath Suspicion : Normally Kevin would be the prime suspect for the Wire-Data hack but because he's still recovering from a stroke, nobody believes he's capable of it and he's left off the list of suspects put together by the teachers. Lindsay is quick to offer a death threat to anyone who hurts her sister. She means it.

And increasingly, Mr Mead tends to lose it whenever one of his students are endangered or harmed. Gabriella utterly loses it when she discovers that Lisa and Shaznay have vandalised her dead sister's room. Big Brother Instinct : Floyd does not take the news that Justin is sleeping with his sister Tiffany well at all. Big Damn Heroes : Frequently. The majority of times when a character is in danger, it becomes this trope. Steph saving Jack from being set on fire by clonking Lewis Seddon over the head with a fire extinguisher. Josh pushes Finn out of the way when Kyle tries to murder him with a crossbrow, with it narrowly missing Josh and gashing the edge of his arm. When Gabriella falls into her swimming pool and is knocked unconscious, Kacey puts aside their previous animosity and saves her. Birthday Suit Surprise Party : Narrowly averted when Connor prepares afternoon tea for Imogen and greets her wearing nothing but an apron and a chef's hat only for Kevin and Dynasty to walk in as well. He later mentions that he considered not bothering with the apron at all.

Bittersweet Ending : The second season finale, everything seems to be going right for the school and then a teacher gets stabbed to death right before the closing credits. It was left open as to whether she was actually dead until the start of the next season, probably because the actress was involved in contract negotiations. Blackmail : Crops up here and there... In Series 3, building contractor Stewart Hordley blackmails headmistress Rachel Mason with the information that she was once a prostitute so that she will secure the school's building contract for his company. In Series 5, underperforming teacher Helen Hopewell tries to blackmail the school's executive head (and her ex) Max Tyler with a sex tape of them. At the end of Series 10, George successfully blackmails Vaughn into giving him his old job back with an as yet unspecified piece of information about his personal life. Blatant Lies : When Floyd catches Justin and Tiffany on his bed eating pizza by candlelight, they tell him that the lights went out and give an I Have to Go Iron My Dog excuse of getting a new bulb. But Floyd is easily able to dismiss this since he's right next to the light switch.

Brainless Beauty : The very bright Bonnie Kincaid gets a makeover during the summer and starts to conform to this but still shows prominent shades of her real personality at times. British Brevity : While Series 1 stands at eight hours, and Series 2 at twelve, the trope is averted for all seasons from Series 3 onwards. Series 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 get 20 episodes a piece, including a 90-minute opener in Series 4 Series 7 and 8 avert the trope to an extreme, with 30 hours per season. (The former premièred just 4 weeks after Series 6's finale) Broken Bird : Lindsay James in particular. The girl just doesn't catch a break... Further deconstructed in that her hidden issues make her more short-tempered and aggressive towards others, rather than just being a shut-in. Gabriella in Series 10.

While before she was a snarky Rich Bitch Jerkass , upon her return she is far more subdued with none the superiority or conniving tendencies she had in Series 9 thanks to a Faceï¿½Heel Turn after injuring Kacey in the Series 9 finale and going into therapy between series. Kevin after his stroke thanks to a combination of his own limitations afterwards and everyone constantly treating him as an invalid during his recovery. Bookends : The first episode introduces Tom Clarkson going up the school roof to help someone in need. The finale of Series 8 shows Tom going up to the school roof to help someone in need, but this time, events take a more tragic turn. The Bus Came Back : A lot of former characters return both for single episodes and for longer stints. But Not Too Gay : Josh and Nate's romance in Spring Term of Series 6 was consistently less explicit than every other couple on the show. In 6.13, when Nate is staying over at Josh's place, what would be their first (on-screen) kiss is interrupted by the doorbell.

Toward the end of the series, at a party, Josh and Nate dance together, but while their straight classmates are getting hot and heavy, the boys dance with excessive space between them. A couple of background moments show them giving each other a comforting hand on the back. By the time Nate leaves the show, they still have not kissed even once. This despite 6.04 showing Josh making a pass at Finn, kissing him squarely on the lips against Finn's will Possibly due to viewer backlash, this trope is averted in 7.23, when Josh's drug dealer is shown openly flirting with him, and kisses him outside the school gates. Averted with Nikki and Vix whose relationship is shown in a reasonable amount of detail. Cain and Abel : Twins Lenny and Lisa Brown. Lenny is a soft and introverted person who constantly tries to better himself (see The Determinator ) while Lisa is a Violent Glaswegian and delinquent who routinely tries to drag Lenny down to her level. Barry and Dynasty Barry become this when he takes a job as a people smuggler and she calls the Police after trying to help the immigrants in Barry's van escape.

The Cast Show Off : Lenny is played by musician Joe Slater. At the end of Series 10 Episode 6, Lenny is shown playing the guitar. Casual Kink : When Connor is trying to prepare a romantic surprise for Imogen, Kevin gives him a pink fluffy blindfold belonging to Dynasty and mentions that "She's an adventurous girl". Character Development : Mainly for the students rather than the teachers. The common formula is for a Jerkass character to act as such until a certain event serves as their Heelï¿½Face Turn moment and they gradually become a better person afterwards. Finn Sharkey is an arrogant troublemaker but after his Interrupted Suicide he becomes a much more rounded person. Tariq Siddiqui is the same in addition to having been in a young offenders institution but gradually mellows out over time. Being rendered paraplegic by Series 7's Diabolus ex Machina ending also contributes to this. Gabriella Wark with her Faceï¿½Heel Turn moment being retroactively revealed as her pushing Kacey off of the climbing wall at the end of Series 9.

Her being the voice of reason against her mother in Rhiannnon's Screw The Money decision cements this. Darren Hughes is an immature misogynist in Series 9 who videos girls in the school changing room but his mother's death in Series 10 and his short-lived relationship with Rhiannon contribute to him becoming more respectable and well-mannered. In Series 5 we find out that Lindsay James was sexually abused by her father leading to her eventually murdering him. Rachel Mason was revealed to have worked as a prostitute before becoming a teacher. Bex has one from the time she was missing: She got sucked into a relationship with an abusive boyfriend who made pornographic videos of her while she was underage. Deadpan Snarker : Plenty of characters, but Apathetic Teachers Grantly Budgen and George Windsor are the real standouts. Eddie Lawson is also particularly notable for his dry humour. December-December Romance : At the end of Series 10, Rhiannon and Darren successfully reunite two elderly people who were a couple in their youth but broke up thanks to Poor Communication Kills .

Defeat Means Friendship : After Kevin admits to hacking Wire-Data and pulls off a successful Batman Gambit to avoid prosecution, the owner is incredibly impressed by his work and offers him a job. Though he is still extremely unhappy about Kevin's antics. The Determinator : Lenny Brown pushes himself to breaking point and beyond revising for his mock exams. After freaking out during his mock English exam and failing, he retakes it privately even though it won't change the result just so he can prove that he can do it. Grantly Budgen when he tries to make amends after accusing Harley of plagiarism. Kevin when he starts computer hacking because he is tired of being viewed as so limited after his stroke, and is determined to prove that he's as smart as ever. Diabolus ex Machina : At the end of series seven, in one of the most bizarre Mood Whiplashes ever. Averted with an angst and romance fuelled one from Finn and Amy. Mr Mead swoops in at the last minute and stops it happening. Does Not Like Men : Lindsay has a few moments like this, due to her abusive father.

Do Wrong, Right : In Series 10 when Leo attempts to replicate Kevin's expert hacking of Wire-Data but leaves a digital footprint that gets traced back to the school. Kevin's not annoyed about him hacking the company solo but about his incompetence doing it. Justified since Kevin is a hacker himself and that the footprint could easily get them both prosecuted. Elizabeth Berrington aka Ruby Fry, and an uncredited teacher played by a blonde extra. And more recently pop star Karen David as Francesca Montoya. Freak Out : the very first episode starts with the old headmaster, Mr. Vaisey, being driven to a nervous breakdown by the appalling state of the school. Josh has one while doing a video project about the school being built on a plague pit. He starts acting erratically and becomes convinced that the staff and pupils could become infected with the Black Death. He's later diagnosed as Schizophrenic. Lenny has a very subtle but protracted one during a mock exam, cracking under the pressure and writing nothing but doodles and self-hating remarks. It's only discovered because he keeps writing after the exam ends. Functional Addict : Christine has short spells as this but it never lasts.

The Good Old British Comp Happily Married : Averted with a lot of characters, as relationship problems are often a key theme in the show. However, it is possible even in Waterloo Road... Grantly and Fleur Budgen were this for thirty-two years before Fleur died from a stroke after having to live in a care home with Alzheimer's disease. Grantly had a second happy marriage to Maggie Croft for two series before he himself died from kidney failure. Donte and Chlo Charles finally achieved this after several uncertain series . Connor and Imogen Mulgrew had a particularly touching wedding ceremony with Connor signing his marriage speech to Imogen since she is partially deaf, and ended up moving together to London. Rachel Mason and Adam Fleet at the end of Series 5. Heroic B.S.O.D. : Nearly always Grantly Budgen, or Tom Clarkson. Heterosexual Life-Partners : Several examples... Izzie and Lorna. (Although they do have something of a bump in their relationship when Tom was involved.) Maxine and Janeece. Finn and Josh, although Josh isn't heterosexual . Sam and Lauren.

This is emphasized in Sam's final episode when she tells Lauren she would be fine if she and Finn got together after she died. Lauren respectfully declined. Bex and Jess, so much so that Bex went back to her controlling boyfriend just so he wouldn't release a porn film he made of Jess. Jess also states that she's indifferent to the release of the film provided Bex comes home, and puts herself in danger later to ensure it. Connor and Kevin. Dynasty and Imogen. Hollywood Hacking : Both played straight and subverted in Series 10 with Kevin's computer hacking. When he hacks the school's systems to access predicted exam grades it's incredibly easy. But when he tries to hack a multinational technology firm, it's much harder and takes hours of concentrated effort with no breakthrough until he tries some out of the box thinking and attacks the system with multiple methods simultaneously. Hot for Teacher : Gabriella takes this to Stalker with a Crush levels when she falls for PE teacher Hector Reid. Ros makes a pass at French teacher Jo Lipsett after spending a lot time being privately tutored by her.

Idiosyncratic Block Naming : Although not used explicitly by The BBC or in promotional materials, the DVDs assign names to each series' 10-episode blocks, starting with Series 3. The first block of 10 episodes in a series is titled "Autumn Term", and the second block is titled "Spring Term". For Series 7 and 8, with 30 episodes, the final 10 episodes were given the title "Summer Term". This system is by analogy with the British academic year, with the Series individually representing school years. Humiliation Conga : A fairly satisfying one for nasty Executive Head Max Tyler at the end of Series 5. After physically assualting Philip Ryan, and then blackmailing and bullying him into keeping quiet about it, he is found out and reported to the LEA. In addition to Rachel revealing his deeds in front of the entire staff room, he is forced to carry his belongings out of the school, escorted by security officers, to the unrestrained cheering and applause of a large crowd of pupils. Along the way, he even gets verbally shamed by a teacher who had previously been one of his most loyal supporters.

He also later gets a well-deserved punch in the face from another former supporter, Chris Mead, for harassing Rachel over her past as a prostitute. The fact that he is permanently sacked is also a nice instance of Laser-Guided Karma , given that he had been working all term to get Rachel sacked and take over himself. Ice Queen : While she does have many redeeming moments , Karen Fisher is not the most approachable of headteachers, and she has a way of reprimanding and belittling staff while wearing a smile. Ignore the Disability : Both a meta and in-universe example. Apart from it's build-up and first reveal, Imogen being partially deaf is only referenced once afterwards at her wedding when Connor performs his vows in sign language. The fact that her hair is deliberately styled to conceal her hearing aids is probably a factor though. Jerk with a Heart of Gold : Grantly Budgen. He goes from being described in Series 3 by Tom as "a worse bully than some of the kids", to being described in Series 8 by Christine as "the only decent father figure" in some of the students' lives. George Windsor.

He enters the series as an outright Jerkass , but softens considerably when he enters an unexpected romance with Carol Barry. Later on, although he's predictably sarcastic about it at first, he gives some practical and sincere advice to Sue after Simon leaves her. He also gives support to Bonnie when she is the victim of cyberbullying, and is visibly touched when she gives him a friendship bracelet as a token of thanks. Nikki Boston. Despite having Stern Teacher tendencies, and essentially bullying a student for a period in Series 8, she cares passionately about the success and welfare of the students. As she says to Kacey Barry, "I'm hard on you for a reason - I want to push you to do better." Hector Reid may be having an affair with a married woman but he goes to great lengths if pupils are in danger. Justin Fitzgerald flips between this and Jerkass . He's often violent and determined to ruin his father's new relationship but starts a food bank at Waterloo Road after witnessing the deprivation of some areas of Greenock Intergenerational Friendship : Eventually happens between Rhiannon and Darren, and Grace; an elderly woman who visits the school's community café.

They initially see her as a burden who exploits their goodwill but warm to her considerably over time and reunite her with an old flame from her youth. Letting Her Hair Down : Chloe's hair-style goes up when she separates from Donte for a while. Long-Runner Cast Turnover : As of the middle of Series 9; none of the original cast remain; and only Maggie Budgen and Harley Taylor are left over from the Rochdale incarnation of the school. Making Love in All the Wrong Places : In Series 10 Episode 11, it is heavily implied that Bonnie Kincaid and Scott Fairchild had sex behind the school stage. Though they do not get caught in the act or the aftermath. Rose Kelly, post-straightening herself out. Rachel Mason towards her students. Carol Barry Allie when she finds out that Vaughn's 17 year-old son Justin has been sleeping with her 15 year-old daughter Tiffany. Mistaken for Pedophile : Lenny suspects that new graphics teacher Guy Braxton is having an affair with pupil Carrie Norton after he sees them hugging, and Vaughn sees a video of it. He's actually her estranged brother. Tom Clarkson (see Team Dad ).

Steph Haydock to pupil Maxine Barlow. Grantly Budgen to the school house pupils, and to Harley Taylor in particular. Daniel Chalk to Kevin Skelton, who later changes his surname to Chalk to further cement their new relationship. Pet the Dog : Even the most deplorable of characters, such as Max Tyler and Earl Kelly have these moments, a running theme which leads to numerous Crowning Moments of Heartwarming. Poison-and-Cure Gambit : A crucial part of Kevin's Batman Gambit with the price for the cure being immunity from prosecution for hacking Wire-Data in the first place. Poor Communication Kills : Grace and her boyfriend Ted were going to get married but both got the wrong place to meet up. This being decades before mobile phones, they had no way to get in touch, both assumed they had been dumped, and moved on with their lives. Later, Miss Mason, who is also a Stern Teacher and a Non Giving Up School Person . Lorna Hutchinson. She's determined to get to the root of Kenzie Calhoun's behavioural and learning problems. Put on a Bus : Mika, who is stated on the official website to have gone to university.

Real Life Writes the Plot : a particularly ludicrous case. The BBC decided it needed to make more of its programmes in Scotland, including Waterloo Road. So at the end of series 7 the local authority closes the school. Meanwhile a rich philanthropist and former pupil of headmaster Mr. Byrne has decided to set up a private but non-fee-paying school for local children in a deprived area near Glasgow...so Mr. Byrne decides to move there, along with most of the named teachers and even some of the pupils (the new school will have a boarding house). All this is about as realistic as an episode of Doctor Who . Similarly, the Diabolus ex Machina at the end of that series happened because the writers didn't yet know which of the cast would be moving to Scotland. Actually, there are some non-fee paying schools which have boarding houses. Just not many of them. "The Reason You Suck" Speech : After telling Sue that he wants a divorce because of her affair , Simon gives her a particularly harsh (though justified) one: Simon: I've spent my life treading on eggshells around you. Dealing with your moods and your constant whining neediness.

Sorting out the mess of your frankly disastrous teaching career. And having to be grateful for the scraps your father throws us. Amy Porter gives a fairly vicious one to struggling teacher Helen Hopewell. While Helen hasn't made herself a particularly likeable character, Amy is ultimately even worse, and it's hard not to feel really sorry for Helen as she breaks down in tears in front of her whole class Refuge in Audacity : Kevin's Batman Gambit against the owner of Wire-Data. Remember the New Guy : Mostly this applies to One-Shot Characters but new additions to the cast can also be this. Bonnie first appears in Series 10 Episode 11 but pretty much everyone knows "Bonnie The Bore" and is shocked at the makeover she got over the summer, transforming her from a Shrinking Violet to a bombshell. Revolving Door Casting : Most characters will last around three series at most but there are some exceptions such as Janeece Bryant, Tom Clarkson, and Grantly Budgen who remained for seven, eight, and nine series respectively. Rich Bitch : Lorraine Donegan (Series 8) and Gabriella Wark (Series 9).

School Play : The aforementioned musical, which of course contains Suspiciously Apropos Music . Screw the Money, I Have Rules! : Rhiannon turns down the chance of a lucrative plus-size modelling job with Gabriella's parents when she discovers that the pictures of her will be slimmed down with Photoshop. Screw This, I'm Out of Here! : After discovering that Hector and Sue have been having an affair, Simon holds back from attacking him with a baseball bat, announces his resignation with immediate effect since he has landed a job in Wales, gives Sue a "The Reason You Suck" Speech , says his goodbyes to a few people, and drives off. But not before reversing over Hector's motorbike. Secret Test of Character : Allie's art class includes a competition to design a hoody for the fashion company owned by Gabriella's parents. What she doesn't mention is that the winners get £1,000 in order to see who is actually taking the competition seriously. Sexy Schoolwoman : As yet averted. It looks wrong for the time slot (8pm) and the people who wear school uniforms are school-age characters, who don't do that sort of thing.

Stalker with a Crush : Philip goes from sending Flick cheesy cards to leaving a set of his aunt's underwear in her school bag. Gabriella for Mr Reid. Her opening gambit is flashing him and it only gets worse from that point on. Stern Teacher : Mr Treneman. On his first day, when he sees a pupil take another boy's bus pass in the queue for the school bus, he calls the police. He then introduces the "cooler" for those who misbehave. Audrey Mc Fall . Though with a strong dose of Reasonable Authority Figure . Stock Punishment : Mr. Budgen gets sponges thrown at him for a fair to raise money for Rwanda aid projects. Strawman Political : Mika as tree-hugger. Seriously, that woman needs some help. Strictly Formula : More common for character arcs rather than episodes... As mentioned in the entry for Character Development , a Jerkass student will commonly act as such until an event serves as their Heelï¿½Face Turn moment and they become a more agreeable person.

Usually a new teacher will be introduced, and in their first episode a crippling Achilles' Heel (such as Christine's alcoholism) will be revealed and built up over the course of ten episodes, with the mid-series finale seeing it brought to a climax. After that, the character will either be written our or their flaws will be forgiven and they will remain at the school. Episodes also have their own formula: One that introduces either a one-shot or recurring student will have their Jerkass tendencies (Gabriella, Kyle etc) or personal issues (such as Lula's abusive uncle) causing a problem that a teacher will either be unaware of or misjudge the severity of, causing a Heroic B.S.O.D. and a necessitating a Big Damn Heroes moment. The student will then be added to the main cast, written out , or completely forgotten about . Taking the Heat : When Connor's frustration about Christine's alcoholism causes him to set one of the classrooms on fire (which scars Imogen), Christine takes the fall for him. Team Dad : Tom Clarkson.

As Chris Mead says, "he's practically fostered half the school!" In addition to his own son Josh, he has been a father figure to the Kelly children and Mika and Chlo Grainger. To Be Continued : Most series end on this... Series 2 ends with Izzy being stabbed and her life hanging in the balance. Series 3 ends with the school on fire and a number of characters trapped inside or rescued but injured. Series 7 Part 2 ends with Linda running Michael over. Series 7 Part 3 ends on the Diabolus ex Machina of an out of control lorry hurtling towards the staff and pupils moving to Scotland. Series 10 Part 1 is comparatively more subdued with George successfully blackmailing Vaughn into giving him his old job back with an as yet unspecified piece of information about his personal life, and then revealing that Havelock High is preparing for a merger that would dissolve Waterloo Road. Tranquil Fury : Simon after Vaughn talks him down from attacking Hector for sleeping with Sue. Transfer Student Uniforms : When Waterloo Road merges with private school John Foster's in Series 5, the John Foster's kids still wear their old uniforms for a while.

Vaughn's children Leo and Justin on their first day at Waterloo Road after going to live with him when their mother suffers a breakdown. Trauma Conga Line : In Series 10 Episode 3, Gabriella (now a mix of Broken Bird and The Atoner ) is put through a horrific one of these as revenge for her actions in Series 9. As well as casual bullying and chemistry teacher Sue Lowsley being a Jerkass towards her; Lisa and Shaznay ambush her in the toilets and bogwash her several times, gatecrash her house party, swipe her phone and send a topless picture to Mr Reid (whom Gabriella had previously been a Stalker with a Crush to), and completely trash her deceased sister's room, destroying the precious few mementos that the Warks have of her. Toxic Friend Influence : When a pupil is brought in to serve as an antagonist, expect at least person to fall under their influence. Kyle is this to Tariq during Series 7's gang wars story arc. Violent Glaswegian : Somewhat subverted. Miss Koreshi got verbal, but never physical. Played straight with Lisa Brown and averted with her much softer twin brother Lenny.

Who Names Their Kid "Dude"? : Barry Barry is initially mocked for his name but it fades fairly quickly. Would Hit a Girl : Kyle is finally expelled for selling vodka shots and slapping Nikki. In the Series 10 Part 1 finale, Justin punches Allie square in the face after she goads him about Tiffany no longer being in love with him. You Look Familiar : Daniella Denby-Ashe played an incompetent substitute teacher in one episode and returned at the end of Series 7 in a full time role as businesswoman Lorraine Donnegan. You Make Me Sic : Sonya is shown to be an appalling speller and fares no better with grammar, somehow managing to spell "Ferocious" with a W. Despite computers having spellcheckers. Your Cheating Heart : Chlo cheats on her husband Donte with Brett, her sister Mika's boyfriend. These are all pupils by the way. In Series 10, Sue Lowsley has an affair with PE teacher Hector Reid.

:: Indexes :: Ariel - Waterloo Road starts filming in Scotland 3 April 2012 Last updated at 08:55 Waterloo Road starts filming in Scotland Cast members Melanie Hill, Alec Newman, Jaye Jacobs and Philip Martin-Brown outside the new set in Greenock Waterloo Road started filming in Scotland on Monday after its relocation from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, where the previous seven series were recorded. The school drama is the latest BBC programme to move from England as the corporation aims to boost production in the other nations, and follows Casualty's transfer from Bristol to Cardiff last year. Since its inception in 2005, Waterloo Road has been made by the indie Shed Productions for BBC Scotland but it had recently outgrown its Rochdale site. In 2008, the BBC announced it was increasing network spend in Scotland to at least 9% by 2016 - reflecting the nation's proportion of the UK population - as part of a plan to make half of its network output outside London.

Continue reading the main story Waterloo Road in Scotland Returning cast members include Chelsee Healey, Mark Benton, Jason Done, Naveed Choudhry, Georgia Henshaw, Kaya Moore, Kane Tomlinson-Weaver, Katie McGlynn and William Rush Laurie Brett (Jane Beale in EastEnders) and Alex Norton (Taggart) will also join the show In 2010, BBC tv spend in Scotland was 7.4% Scotland has the highest level of film, TV and animation production in the UK, outside London £243m is the yearly production spend on the screen industries in Scotland Source: Scottish Enterprise Gaynor Holmes, BBC executive producer for the show, said: 'When the BBC asked Shed to move the drama here, it was very much part of a commitment to building a strong drama base in Scotland, and this is just the start, we are not done.' The drama will be filmed at the former Greenock Academy school near Glasgow, which now also includes edit and dubbing suites. Shed Productions have said the drama's relocation will lead to £25m in direct investment over the next two years and will create around 230 jobs.

Government body Scottish Enterprise is also supporting Shed with funding of £175,000. Eileen Gallagher, chief executive of Shed, referred to the drama's relocation as a 'game-changer for the Scottish television industry'. She added: 'Having a big drama that returns and employs many people means we can now have a critical mass of talent in Glasgow and Scotland, so that we can grow lots of other dramas around it. This is not a ceiling on the ambitions, this is going to help them grow more TV drama.' Currently on air, the seventh series of Waterloo Road will end this month with what has been called an 'explosive storyline', involving an offer for headmaster Michael Byrne (Alec Newman) to set up a new school in Scotland. An initial run of 50 one-hour episodes will be filmed over two years at Greenock, with the first Scottish-set shows to air this autumn. Edinburgh will say hello to Jason Isaacs again when the second series of Case Histories films this summer Speaking on how the relocation will affect the storyline, Gallagher said: 'We have worked very hard to make sure it is as strong and even stronger than it was in Rochdale.

There is a fear, when you love a drama, that something is going to change it, but it is our responsibility to make sure the heart of it is always here and becomes even stronger.' Waterloo Road draws around 5m viewers and was a surprise winner of most popular drama at the 2011 National Television Awards, beating Doctor Who and Sherlock. Other BBC drama made in Scotland include Case Histories, Lip Service, The Field of Blood and Scottish soap River City. However Garrow's Law and Young James Herriot have not been recommissioned. Although the relocation is a loss to production in northern England, Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC Drama commissioning, has previously said that 2012 would demonstrate the BBC's commitment to drama from the region with at least six titles including The Syndicate and upcoming The Fuse with Christopher Eccleston and Andrew Scott. Top stories Greenock Relocation - Waterloo Road TV | No.1 site for the BBC Drama Waterloo Road TV | No.1 site for the BBC Drama Waterloo Road moves to Greenock, Scotland Greenock, Scotland Relocation It was announced during 2011 that the show will be relocating to Scotland for its eighth series.

The 10 episodes starting from 22nd February 2012 were the last ones filmed at the original set in Rochdale, Greater Manchester during 2011 and from April 2012 filming will start at the former Greenock Academy in Greenock, 25 miles outside of Glasgow. The storyline will play out on screen with an ‘explosive’ storyline at the end of series seven then some of the current teachers and students move to set up and independent school I Greenock which will keep the Waterloo Road name. Although there has been some doubt amongst fans that the show will be able to maintain its way of dealing with real-life, current issues as an independent school the writers assure us, “it will remain the show the people love;” and will continue to deal with the topical issues effecting a working class community.

We can now confirm Alec Newman (headmaster Michael Byrne), Philip Martin-Brown (Grantly Budgen), Jaye Jacobs (Sian Diamond), Melanie Hill (Maggie Croft), Jason Done (Tom Clarkson), Chelsee Healey (Janeece Bryant), Mark Benton (Daniel Chalk), Naveed Choudhry (Tariq Siddiqui), Georgia Henshaw (Madi Diamond), Kaya Moore (Phoenix Taylor), Kane Tomlinson-Weaver (Harley Taylor), Katie McGlynn (Jodie ‘Scout’ Allen), William Rush (Josh Stevenson) will be in the first Scotland based series! Shed productions have said they are “very grateful” to the people on the Kirkholt estate in Rochdale for supporting the show for so long and being helpful and welcoming. Although it will be sad to see the show leave its original set we hope the move will provide an exciting new start for Waterloo Road. The first of the Scotland based episodes are due to air this autumn and over the next couple of years, 50 have been commissioned.

We start the new term in Scotland in a school funded by businesswoman and philanthropist Lorraine Donnegan (played by Daniela Denby Ashe) is an ex pupil of Michael’s who she credits with her desire to succeed and now she wants to pay something back by headhunting Michael to run a new school in a deprived area of Glasgow. Together, Michael and Lorraine open a new type of independent school, open to all but without payment, free from the ‘ball and chain’ years of prescribed initiatives and counter-productive focus on league tables and box ticking. Lorraine is the sole investor and is able to run the school as she and Michael see fit. The school is based on the belief that all children are capable of anything given the proper teaching. It’s going to be a school of hope, of inspiration and creativity but also of hard work, competition and personal and academic high standards. BBC - Inside Out - North West - Waterloo Road You are in: Inside Out > North West > Waterloo Road School's back - Waterloo Road. Waterloo Road The hit TV drama 'Waterloo Road' is the latest in a long line of prime time TV dramas set in the North West of England.

Inside Out goes behind the scenes with the cast - and talks to new teacher on the block - Neil Morrissey. North West - TV drama Amongst the many productions which have used the North West of England as a backdrop are: Life on Mars - 7.1 million viewers watched TV detective Sam Tyler (John Simm) travel back in time to 1970s Manchester. The Lakes - also starring John Simm. Set in the Lake District. Cracker - starring Robbie Coltrane. Greater Manchester locations. Big Dippers - set in Liverpool. Stars James Nesbitt as a small time criminal. Hollyoaks - the classic teen soap. Casanova - starring David Tennant. Look out for the Cheshire locations. Video - Neil Morrissey > Listen to Neil Morrissey talking about the new TV series of Waterloo Road. Note - there is some adult language in this interview. It's fair to say that Waterloo Road has experienced more heartache and trauma than most "normal" comprehensive schools. The last series ended dramatically on a cliff hanger as one of the central characters was stabbed. Inside Out has been behind the scenes of the new series which promises to be every bit as eventful.

School's out The story-line of 'Waterloo Road' follows the highs and lows of pupils and staff at a struggling comprehensive school. The cast and crew of Waterloo Road have been busy filming the third series at the former Hill Top Primary School in Rochdale, which closed two years ago. Neil Morrissey - teachers behaving badly Waterloo Road has seen it all - binge drinking, blackmail, love affairs, violence - and even death. In the latest series there's a new recruit to the teaching staff - Neil Morrissey plays Eddie Lawson. "My character Eddie is a stand-up stalwart - a gorgeous bloke," says Neil enthusiastically. "He's sort of relinquished the climbing through the schools system to become headmaster for the moment because he likes working with the kids. "And he's kind of fallen in with Jack Rimmer, the headmaster - with his vision on schools in the community and helping in the hard-to-teach areas...

and all the kind of things like inclusion for disabled and mental illnesses and really poor families." Video - Neil Morrissey > Feisty teacher Denise Welch returns in her role as fellow teacher, Steph Haydock, with whom Eddie develops a slightly prickly relationship, as Neil Morrissey explains: "He's already got a hate relationship for Steph Haydock anyway because obviously she's the most useless person in the school. "I expect she's quite good at teaching French but in her new role... she's supposed to be involved in all the personal lives of all the kids... Denise Welch - tangled love life. "But she's not very good at it and Eddie doesn't like that." Denise Welch plays the part with great relish: "Obviously when you come to a new character, you learn the back story as time goes on... "She's quite needy and quite sad in a lot of ways, and she covers that with humour. "So she kind of became the comedic character, certainly of the first series, which I loved." Inside the Headmaster's office Jason Merrells plays Jack Rimmer, Head Teacher of the school which was failing till he took over.

Waterloo Road is back with a new series He did a pretty good job in the original TV series but the new run sees him struggling to keep the momentum going after a school stabbing incident. "He's on Prozac and he's finding it increasingly difficult to tie up all the boxes," says Jason. "And he's starting to do things which are not by the book - and he's going a little bit to pieces with it. But he's still just about holding it together. " It will be interesting to see if he can stand the pressure in the forthcoming series. Drama central In fact, Waterloo Road is just one of 13 television dramas currently being made in the North West of England. Lis Steele from Shed Productions explains its appeal, "I think so in many respects and also there is a sense that there is life outside London and that's what people want to see. Made in the North West - Life on Mars. "I think people have had enough of London dramas made by London production companies and there's a real life in the North West to be tapped. "And I think in terms of the drama and the people and the situations, that's very very rich and certainly in terms of filming in the North West.

"The people are delightful and the use of the locations are very good and varied and it's very easy for filming to get around." Let's hope that Waterloo Road continues to be one in a long line of North West dramas that include TV hits such as Life on Mars and Cracker. 'Waterloo Road' is on BBC One at 8pm on Thursdays. last updated: 16/10/07 Video: Waterloo Road favourites reunite for spin-off show - Manchester Evening News What's On Video: Waterloo Road favourites reunite for spin-off show Interest has never been higher in BBC drama Waterloo Road since its surprise Best Drama win at the National TV Awards last month. Now there are hopes that new spin-off series Waterloo Road Reunited can develop further. Share Tachia Newall, Lucy Dixon, Chelsee Healey and Lauren Thomas star in the new Waterloo Road show Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Ah, school reunions – where everyone gets to find out who has been the biggest success, and, ahem, biggest loser from their former classmates… Now BBC drama Waterloo Road has jumped on the reunion theme, producing a spin-off with a host of characters who’ve now left the Rochdale school. Interest has never been higher in the series since its surprise Best Drama win at the National TV Awards last month and there are hopes that the new Waterloo Road Reunited series can develop into more than the current crop of six, 15-minute episodes. The Diary caught up with a clutch of the show’s most popular ex-schoolmates in Manchester yesterday ahead of the new series going live next week on the red button straight after the next episode on BBC1, or via the show’s website. Scroll down to see our video And the actors tell me there’s lots for fans of the show to catch up on with the class of 2010 now they’ve left Waterloo Road.

Tachia Newall, 21, who plays heart-throb Bolton Smilie, says: “There’s a baby, but I’m not saying whose, there’s an MC battle, there’s a mental breakdown and there’s a marriage – so there’s certainly a lot been going on for the guys. “It’s nice to be able to see the characters out of school.” And it sounds like Bolton is the top candidate for biggest success since leaving school. He grins: “Bolton is now a radio DJ and he’s doing well for himself.” However, Lucy Dixon, 20, tells me her character Danielle hasn’t fared quite so well. She laughs: “Danielle basically sits in here knickers all day, stroking her cat and watching Jeremy Kyle. She thinks she’s superior to everyone else and that a job should come to her rather than her finding a job.” Chelsee Healey plays one of Waterloo Road’s most popular characters in the shape of livewire Janeece Bryant, and of course remains on the BBC1 series having returned to the school as a secretary. Chelsee tells me the cast and crew have been buoyed by the NTA victory.

She said: “People were saying they were surprised that it won, but it won on the public vote and we have a really loyal fanbase out there. It’s great that people really seem to love our characters and the storylines.” Although Chelsee was gutted that she didn’t get to go to the red carpet bash – as she was filming this new series. She sighs: “I’d bought an amazing bright orange dress as well with a huge bow on the back. I was gutted I couldn’t be there, but we celebrated with a bottle of champers on the set when we found out.” So have the young stars organised school reunions of their own here in Manchester? Chelsee, who went to Canon Williams School in Eccles, says not, and laughs: “We were the naughtiest year, we weren’t even allowed a school prom!” Meanwhile Lauren Thomas, who plays Aleesha, is a former pupil of North Manchester High School and says she’s trying to organise a schol reunion at the moment for her class, while Lucy, who went to Stockport’s Oriel Bank had such a small school – 100 pupils – that they keep in regular touch anyway.

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Question: In which town in Greater Manchester is the TV series 'Waterloo Road' set?
Answer: ROCHDALE